Bodily waste at debate? Documents inconclusive

Three bricks DPS officials say were confiscated at the Capitol on July 12. Photo released to San Antonio Express-News by DPS on August 26.

Three bricks DPS officials say were confiscated at the Capitol on July 12. Photo released to San Antonio Express-News by DPS on August 26.

Photo: DPS, Courtesy Photo

Photo: DPS, Courtesy Photo

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Three bricks DPS officials say were confiscated at the Capitol on July 12. Photo released to San Antonio Express-News by DPS on August 26.

Three bricks DPS officials say were confiscated at the Capitol on July 12. Photo released to San Antonio Express-News by DPS on August 26.

Photo: DPS, Courtesy Photo

Bodily waste at debate? Documents inconclusive

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AUSTIN — Records released by state police Monday reflect the chaos at a Capitol abortion debate last month — when state troopers said they discarded urine and feces they took from activists — but do not conclusively show bodily waste was actually found.

The documents also show Texas Department of Public Safety officers relied heavily on social networks to gather intelligence on activists during the July 12 debate and adoption by the Senate of a set of sweeping abortion restrictions.

The DPS released 144 pages of internal communication, photos and social media posts to the San Antonio Express-News and other media in response to a request filed days after the agency reported taking 18 jars of “suspected” feces, a jar of urine and bottles of paint from activists.

“I am tired of reading that we made this stuff up,” DPS Director Steve McCraw wrote in a July 14 email to another top agency official, urging release of three photos. But none of the photos showed urine or feces.